Package fabrication



Dec. 28, 1937.

L. L. SALFISBERG PACKAGE FABRICATION Original. Filed Nov. 22, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l PACKAGE FABRICATION Original Filed Nov. 22, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 TILE-E LBI'D L. Selfisherg Patented Dean 1937' u um-rm s'rATEs 2,103,: momma ranmoa'rlon" Leroy L. Salflsberg, small oral-eels. 1., aulgnor to I'm-Lee Company, Newark, N. 1., a corporaon of Delaware Original application November 22, 1934, Serial No. 754,311. Divided and this application My 4, 1935, Serial No. 19,762

4 Claims. (CI. 41-21) V This invention pertains in general to the or- I namentation and marking of regenerated cellulose material, thls being a division of my application Serial No. 754,311, flied Nov. 22, 1934, now

Patent No. 2,037,825, issued April 21, 1936.

One of the objects of this invention consists in providing indicia in regenerated cellulose material in the form of markings produced by physiochemical changes in the material. 9 Another object comprises providing a method for utilizing aheat and pressure process to form characters in regenerated cellulose material.

These and other objects will be apparent from the following, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate corresponding parts and in which: I

Fig. l is a top plan view of an essential portion of one embodiment of the mechanical-system according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view of a commutating arrangement employed;

Fig. 5 is a representation of a strip of packaging material as used in the mechanical arrangement of Fig. 1, showing several steps of the oxidization process;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a package unit constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 7 is a view of packaging material bearing indicia/markings in accordance with the invention; and

Fig. 8 is a schematic representation of an ar- 50 to an oxidization marking step for producing various indicia on the material. This indicia may be in the form of advertising, serial numbers, or instructions for the use of the packaged article. In another step, the material, thus provided with 55 indicia markings, is formed to enclose the article oxidization of the material.

In the use of strip packaging material, such as regenerated cellulose, various difflculties have heretofore been encountered in providing pack- 5 ages with suitable indicia markings. Recourse has generally been had to inked stampings on the surface of the material but it is found that such markings are often unsuitable for various reasons, one of which is that the material does 10 not receive and maintain such stampings in a very suitablemanner. A further dimculty resides in the proper alignment of the indicia markings with the package itself. That is, even though the cellulose material has been provided with' inked stampings, it is very diflicult, in a packaging process, to insure that these markings coincide with a particular package. In other words, during theprocessing packages are eventually produced which will have the indicia markings 2o out of alignment with the package giving an provided with stamped ink markings produced in a separate process and then rolls of the material used in a packaging machine. Ina continu V ous packaging machine, however, there is no 30 satisfactory method to insure the alignment'of the stamped markings for the particular package, inasmuch as expansion and contraction as well as tension produce various linear changes in the material which cannot be foreseen and 35 compensated for with any exactitude in a continuous manufacturing process. In some related processes,pho toelectrlc cells and adjusting systems have been used in an attempt to secure alignment, but such arrangements are not be- 4 lieved to be. practical or desirable in packaging systems of the type here indicated. Further, since packaging processes depend upon the use of heat in an oxidlzation process, the inked stampings are subject to more or less deterioration and effacement. Such objections are even more true if an attempt is made to placethe inked stampings directly on the material during the packaging process. If this method is resorted to, a considerable length of the cellulose material must be provided between the packaging operation itself and the inking operation in order to permit drying. Such a length of material permits the linear changes which displace the markings and produce disalignment of the indicia in the-packaging process. It will therefore be seen that the use of inked markings is fraught with various dimculties and is'an unsatisfactory arrangement at best.

6 The present invention, by forming the indicia markings directly in the material without any addition of ink or other matter, makes a permanent marking which cannot be eii'aced without destroying the package and which is,

10 further, of a structure similar to the rest of the package and in keeping with its general appearance and structure. A very important advantage is that it is possible to have the packaging operation and the indicia marking operation in 16 close proximity with each' other to insure the absolute. alignment of the indicia marking in the proper place on each package.- The package produced according to this invention utilizes a regenerated cellulose material of a normally 20 tough andwiry nature to produce article enclosing envelopes of a resilient nature resistive to tearing and having the necessary strength to properly retain the commodity articles in sealed and sanitary segregation. This envelope is 25 formed by surrounding the packed article with sealing areas in which the material is joined together in an inseparable bond subjected to an oxidization process wherein the physi'ochemical nature of the cellulose material is altered to be- 30 come brittle and easily torn, in contradistinction with the normally tough and wiry nature of the cellulose material. The indicia markings may be provided in a central portion of the commodity containing enclosure of the package so 35 as not to weaken that portion of the enclosure 40 dicia.

5 ing symbols.

areas which actually engage with the article. In another form of the invention, the indicia markings may be accomplished by utilizing an outline effect of the oxidization process to form the in- In any event, the indicia markings are produced by the use of an oxidization treatment of the cellulose material to produce a change in the refractive index of the material along predetermined lines signifying intelligence conveyto the drawings in detail, Figs. 1 and 2 show a portion of the packaging machine according to the invention. A roll of regenerated dellulose material I of strip formation is pro- Referrin o vided upon the spindle 2. The regenerated cellulose material comprises a base bearing a fusible coating thereon, is initially of a toughand wiry nature and is substantially transparent to light. A leader 3 extends from the roll I and is fed 5 over idler rollers 4, 5, and 6, the spindle 2 and idler rollers 4, 5 and 6 being suitably mounted on a frame member I. From idler roller 8 the leader strip 3 extends into the article feeding and package forming equipment. The commodity '50 articles II are fed in the direction of the arrow I2 along vertical axis A. These 'commodity articles may be, for example, in the form of medicinal pellets and the article feeding mecha-' nism, as well as the form of the packaging 65 equipment in general, may be of a form shown in' more detail in my copending application Serial No. 748,846, filed Otcober 18, 1934, now Patent No. 2,083,617, issued June 15, 1937.

Another lead sheet I similar to lead sheet I extends over idler pulley Ila and proceeds from equipment substantially similar to that shown on the right hand side of the axis A in Fig. 2. That is, the apparatus is substantially symmetrical on opposite sides of the axis A, the lefthand 75 portion of the equipment being omitted to avoid duplication and promote simplicity in the representation.

The package forming equipment consists, in part, of a pair of rollers II and I4. These rollers are mounted upon shafts I! and I extending through suitable hearings in the supporting frame I and another supporting frame I. These shafts I and II have a hollow portion coextensive with the rollers I3 and I4 in which heater cartridges ll and I! are provided, respectively.

Suitable collector and terminal units I1 and 29 are provided for supplying electrical energy to the heater cartridges I8 and I9, and the exact construction of these units may be similar to' other such structures described later in connection with indicia marking rollers.

The roller I3 is provided with a peripheral row of recesses 2|, 22, "and 24 while the roller I4 is provided with a peripheral row of recesses 25, 26, 21, and 28. In the peripheral surfaces surrounding these recesses, the rollers I3 and I4 are provided with crimping areas as may be seen in part in Fig. 1 with reference to roller II. These crimping surfaces are mechanically complementary to each other so that the crimping surface of roller I3 meshes or engages with the crimpingsurface of the roller" I4 to produce a forced interdigitation of the cellulose material fed therebetween. The exact configuration of these crimping surfaces may be compared with a criss-cross formation.

In rotation of the rollers I3 and I4, the recesses ZI-24, respectively, coincide with the recesses 28 of the roller I4, so that the commodity articles are held therebetween in a proper positioning effect without crushing, while the crimping surfaces .join the opposed layers of This forced inter- 3| and 32 which engage with one another and cause the complementary rotation of the rollers I3 and I4 in opposed, directions. The shaft I6 may be coupled through suitable gearing with an electric motor and also with other equipment in the packaging machine such as the articlefeeding mechanism to which reference was previously made. The gear 32 also engages with an intermediary gear 34 which transmitsfmotion to a driven gear 35. The driven gear 35 is secured upon a shaft 38 mounted between the frame members 8 and 9. This shaft 36 carries a cam member 81. At a point above the axis of the shaft 36, but on the other side of the'frame member 8, an indicia roller 40 is provided. The surface of the roller 49 is provided with raised indicia marking elements which, in the present instance, by way of illustration, are numerals from 0 to 9. This indicia roller is mounted on a shaft 44, supported between the members of a yoke 4I pivoted on a shaft 42 extending through the frame members 8 and 9. Extend- -ing from the yoke M in alignment with the shaft 44 and the roller 4!, there is provided a cam follower element 45 which peripherally engages the cam 31. A suitable slot is provided in the frame member I to permit a vertical movement of 8,100,886 the follower element 45 tberethrough in following the contour of the cam. Mounted on the shaft 46 adjacent the roller 48 and secured thereto, there is provided a ratchet 48 for imparting step by step motion to the roller 40. The number of indicia markings and the teeth on the ratchet 46 are disposed so that each tooth of the ratchet advances the roller 40 sufllciently to present a new number or indicia markingin proximity to the strip 3. Adjacent the ratchet 46 an arm 48 is provided on the shaft 44 and is positioned to engage with a pin 49 mounted in the frame member I. As shown in Fig. 2, a pawl 50 is provided on the arm'4l and is forced by a spring 5i into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet 4t. Other ratchet and pawl means not shown, are provided for preventing rotation of the indicia roller except under influence of the ratchet 4%. Arm 53. extends from the yoke M on the other side of the shaft 42 and is provided with' a tensionspring 54 which is secured to the frame member 8, The spring 54 urges the follower element 4% in continuous peripheral contact with the cam 37. I

The shaft 44 is hollow and is provided'with a heater cartridge 60. Fig. 4 shows more in detall the construction of this heater cartridge as well as a commutator arrangement for-delivering electrical energy thereto. Referring to Fig. 4 it encloses the collector ring and brushes and is' secured between terminals 64 and 65 to the yoke structure 4|. Thus, as the roller 40 is rotated, electrical energy is transmitted through the brushes and collector rings to the internal heater cartridge in which includes a proper resistance for maintaining the roller 40 within the oxidization temperature range.

Beneath the leader strip 3, and in. line with the roller 4|), there is provided a roller 40a which is substantially similar to the roller 40 with the exception that the indicia markings provided thereon are mechanical complements of the indicia markings on roller 40. That is, whereas the indicia markings on roller 40 are raised characters, the indicia markings on roller 40a are complementary depressions. All of the other parts described in connection with roller 40 are similarly provided in connection with roller 40a and includethe arm 48a, pin 49a, yoke M a, as well as spring 56a.

The cam 31 has a configuration substantially --in the form of an ellipse. When the major axis of the cam is in alignment between axes of the rollers 40 and 40a, as shown in Fig. 2, the cam followers associated with these two rollers are in an extended position so that the rollers occupy positions spaced apart from the strip 3 as shown in Fig. 2. When the cam 31 has rotated into a position with the shorter axis in alignment between the two rollers 40 and 40a. the rollers 40 and 48a come into engagement, thereby producing a forced indicia interdigitation of the strip 3. while at the same time heating the desired portion to produce an oxidization sunlcient to change the physiochemical character of the material to alter the index of refraction in the area forming the indicia marking.

bracketla and the frame member 8. A suitable spring is provided for normally retaining this member in adownward position. The strip of cellulose strip material.

In the operation of the system, the cellulose strip is fed. on one side of the machine, over roller 4 between rollers 40 and 40a, over idler roller 5, under tension pulley I, over idler roller 6,.and thence between the bonding and heating rollers l8 and it. A similar arrangement may be provided on the left hand side of the axes A in Fig. .2 for-feeding the strip material in a right hand direction toward the crimping rollers l3 and it. As the rollers l3 and i i are rotated to draw the cellulose material through the various idler pulleys, while the commodity articles ii are deposited between the strips of material by suitableoperating mechanism, the cam 31 is driven through the intermediary of gears 3d and 35 in timed relationship with the rotation of rollers l3 and It. The configuration of the cam 31 is such that its continuous rotation causes the rollers 40 and 40a to come quickly together for an instant corresponding to the passage of an amount of package material corresponding to one package unit. When the cam 31 revolves to a position permitting the rollers 40 and 40a to return to the normal extended position due to the springs 54 and 54a. the arms 48 and Ella engage pins 49 and 49a which operate the ratchets on each of the rollers to revolve the rollers one step, so that a new indicia marking is in proximity to the leader strip 3. Thus, in each marking operation of the rollers 40 and 40a, a new indicia marking is provided. It will be understood that instead of the arrangement shown, several adjacent rollers could be provided on each side of the strip 3 and mechanical means arranged to actuate them in accordance with the mechanism usually found in counters or speedometers whereby each successive roller is operated after a complete revolution of the adjacent one. In this manner serial numbers up to several digits can be applied in succession to the strip so that each package unit can have its own serial number. Again, the ratchet actuating mechanism can be modified so that the indicia marking is changed at any desired point in the passage .of packaging material so that the same indicia marking could be applied to a group of packages and then automatically altered for a subsequent group.

Fig. illustrates the appearance of a strip of the material passing through the various operalilo ES of the machine shown in Fig. 2. The section "0 represents a portion of the strip before reaching the rollers 40 and 40a. The section "11 represents the subsequent portion of the strip after having been acted upon by the rollers 40 and 40a and in which the indicia characters have been marked by the oxidlzation process in anticipation of the formation of packages in predetermined areas. The section "e represents completed package sections in which the leader strip 3 has been joined with the leader strip illto enclose commodity articles I I with further oxidization areas surrounding the articles to form embrittled sealing areas, the packaging material thus being subjected to a dual oxidization process.

F18. 6 shows one of the package units such as might be detached from section "c". It will be seen that the package presents a uniform appearance and has many advantages due to the novel form of scaling in combination with the novel form of indicia marking due to the oxidization process.

Fig. 7 shows an alternative form of indicia marking where a similar marking is placed on a considerable number of package units. In this form of the invention, the crimping rollers I3 and I are themselves modified so that the crimping surfaces have areas in which no crimping occurs but which areas are surrounded by crimping and heating surfaces. The outline indicia marking in Fig. 7 represents the number 100". Such an arrangement provides another method of applying indicia which may be employed for certainpurposes in lieu of the rollers ll and a. or in combination therewith. Again, the surface of the crimping rollersmay be disposed in a way 30\ material. Fig. 7 shows how the crimping area intermediate the package containing areas can be utilized to provide indicia markings and these indicia markings may be either of the outline type as shown in the figure, or, conversely, with the crimping area forming the indicia as well as the bond.

For special effects, it may be desirable to produce color indicia markings, and for this purpose an arrangementsuch as shown in Fig. 8 may be used. Fig.'8 represents an adaptation of the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2, whereby means are provided to apply a coloring material to the indicia markings. In place of rollers 40 and a there are provided two rollers 80 and 8| which are similar to the rollers 40 and a except that, instead of a series of consecutive numbers, similar numbers are provided entirely around the periphery of each of the rollers the numbers being spaced in accordance with the spacing between individual package units. the numbers is only an alternative form and, of course, it will be understood that any desired arrangement of numbering or indicia markings can be provided as desired.

A color roller 83 is suitably mounted for rotation and is of a form having at soft rubber peripheral surface. The roller 83 is positioned to rotate partially within a container 84 havin .a coloring material 85 therein. The coloring material 85 is preferably of a finely divided form such as a gold, silver, or aluminum powder. Intermediate the roller 33 and the roller 8i is a transfer roller 82 which also has a rubber peripheral surface. The roller 83 and roller 32 are driven by a suitable mechanical connection with roughened form to collect greater amounts of powder than would cling to a smooth surface. As the roller 83 revolves within the container 84 a certain amount of the material 85 clings to for supplying the finely divided powder.

This arrangement of the surface of this roller. The transfer roller 82, peripherally contacting roller 83 and roller 8!, transfers a suflieient amount of this coloring material to the indicia characters on the surface of the roller 8!. The rollers 80 and 8| are mechanically complementary and difler from the rollers 40 and 40a in that they revolve continuously without the intermittent movement in a plane intersecting-their axes. As the coated cellulose feeder I is fed between rollers 80 and 8|, the indicia characters on the surfaces of rollers 80 and 8| form embrittled indicia characters upon the material of feeder], as before described. At the same time, the coloring material on the roller 8| is caused tobecome integral with the embrittled indicia area of the cellulose material due to the oxidization process. In other words, the heating of the coated regenerated cellulose material within the oxidization range produces a physiochemical union of the cellulose material and the color material in the area of indicia configuration. The treated material is thus of a different character than the normal texture of the cellulose material.

Various changes can be made in the representation of Fig. 8. For example, the coloring powder may be applied directly to the material after'it has been treated by the rollers 80 and 8| and before the indicia areas have cooled and before the oxidization process ceases. Likewise. the roller 83 may be provided with various means If required, a pneumatic force system can be provided for feeding the powder against the roller 83 or directly against the cellulose material as before pointed out. In any event, the system shown in Fig. 8 may be utilized to provide a form of indicia of striking appearance. Reference is made to my co-pending divisional application Serial Number 52,806, filed December 4, 1935.

Although the foregoing discloses a preferred form of the invention, it will be understood that many changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the intended scope of the invention. No limitations are intended other than those imposed by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The method of providing indicia characters on regenerated cellulose material comprising a base having a fusible coating which comprises, applying heat to a predetermined area of said material corresponding to an indicia configuration to fuse and oxidize said coating to change its refractive index.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 including the step of oxidizing said base concomitantly with the fusing of said fusible coating.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1 which consists in applying a coloring material in said predetermined area to mix with said fusible coating while heated and within the confines of said indicia configuration.

4. The method of providing indicia characters on regenerated. cellulose material which comprises applying heat and pressure simultaneously on both sides of said material in the same predetermined area corresponding to anindicia config' uration, said heat being continued to a degree suflicient to oxidize said cellulose material to alter the refractive index thereof.

LEROY L. SALFISBERG. 

